Dive Brief:

• The recording of school altercations and their subsequent posting on social media has led to suspensions for some students, but these punitive actions have proven controversial.
• Administrators and teachers alike disagree on how cell phones are best regulated and used in school settings, and guidelines vary from school to school since mobile devices are sometimes used in the classroom for schoolwork.
• Efforts to regulate even vary from class to class, and while some applaud transparency and students acting like "citizen journalists," others call the proliferation of mobile devices distracting and disruptive.

Dive Insight:

As BYOD (bring your own device) policies catch on due to their economically beneficial way to incorporate more tech in the classroom, expect an increase in dialogue related to how, when, and why students are allowed to use their own mobile devices. In rural areas, BYOD has advanced connectivity for students, and as Education Dive previously reported, “although BYOD is a challenge for low-income students, solutions exist in the form of grants, donations, or collaborations with tech companies…. the New Media Consortium's K-12 Horizon Report shows 20% of U.S. classrooms will be implementing 'bring your own device' programs by the end of this year.”